1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel ratchet tool having open-ended jaws, and particularly to such a tool wherein the jaw faces can be ratcheted to permit the tool to be rotated in only one direction around a nut or bolt head. The tool may be provided in several forms including: an open-ended wrench, a scissor-type pliers, a slip-type pliers, a vise-grip pliers, and a crescent wrench.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Open-ended wrenches and pliers are available in several forms as mentioned above. An open-ended wrench, as opposed to a socket wrench or box wrench (which are close-ended), has a pair of spaced confronting jaws that are open at one end so that the jaw faces of the wrench can be slid onto the faces of a nut or bolt head in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nut or bolt. As with close-ended wrenches, an open-ended wrench is also open on two other sides so that the jaw faces can be slid onto the faces of a nut or bolt head in a direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the nut or bolt.
While many practical close-ended wrenches are available with ratchet means cooperating with the jaws of the tool, there are no practical open-ended wrenches with ratchet means cooperating with the jaw faces of the tool. Such a cooperating combination would permit the user to slide the jaw faces onto the faces of a nut or bolt head from its end, and then to rotate the nut or bolt head by a succession reciprocating arcuate movements of the tool without the tool being removed from contact with the nut or bolt.